Community-directed engagement and positive youth development: Developing positive and progressive pathways between youth and their communities in Reclaiming Futures

Reclaiming Futures is an innovative juvenile justice reform initiative focused on improving the quality, quantity, and effectiveness of alcohol and drug treatment interventions for juvenile offenders. An important element of the Reclaiming Futures strategy has been the consistent and intentional involvement of community members as part of the systemic reforms and interventions in a way that attempts to share access to power and build agency for authentic community-anchored solutions. The purpose of these efforts is to assist young people to build positive and enduring connections that they can rely upon as a strong recovery network for ongoing support after their formal engagement with justice and treatment services is concluded. This paper describes relevant literature on positive youth development and community-directed engagement, the underlying philosophy of the approach, examples of how the Reclaiming Futures initiative has incorporated these ideas, discussion of barriers and supports to effectiveness, and implications for others wishing to implement similar strategies.

Research highlights
► Substance involved juvenile offenders need more than treatment and accountability.
► They need opportunities to connect to the communities they live in positive ways.
► Reclaiming Futures is a national effort which institutionalizes such opportunities.
► Creative options are possible with cross-disciplinary and community partnerships.
► This article outlines the philosophy and experiences of RF sites who did this work.